BB-MAI
Moscow Aviation Institute · Soviet Union · first flew 1940 · bomber
The BB-MAI was a Soviet light bomber prototype designed at the Moscow Aviation Institute by Pyotr Grushin in 1940, notable as the first Soviet aircraft to use a tricycle undercarriage and among the first to incorporate leading-edge slats.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- First Soviet aircraft with tricycle undercarriage
- All-wood plywood construction, Klimov M-105 tractor engine
- Leading-edge slats and supercharger — advanced features for a MAI student design
A clean low-wing monoplane distinguished by its tricycle undercarriage — unusual for a Soviet aircraft of 1940 — and all-plywood construction. The fuselage is relatively deep for a twin-seat aircraft, housing the bomb bay between wing root and nose.
Specifications
- The BB-MAI has a length of 9.6 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 550 km/h (342 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Constructed of all-wood plywood, the BB-MAI was an advanced student design that incorporated features ahead of mainstream Soviet practice, including a supercharger and nose-wheel undercarriage. The single prototype was made redundant by the wartime priority given to the Ilyushin Il-2, which entered mass production while the BB-MAI's programme was terminated.
Variants
Single prototype only.
Where you'll see it
Never entered service; evaluated and abandoned in favour of the Il-2.
Related aircraft
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